ICC's new chief keen on accomodating the IPL

ICC's incoming chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, a former chief selector for South Africa and a private equity specialist hinted that the ICC's FTP might be tinkered with to accommodate the much hyped IPL.

"In business, it is a common phenomenon that the more successful you get, the more problems you encounter," Lorgat told the Sydney Morning Herald. "The game is growing and the world is changing. With the successful introduction of Twenty20 to the calendar, there is more cricket to be played, and as a result the time could come where workloads have to be managed.

"The IPL is something that is exciting and can be used to enhance and grow the game around the globe. Cricket is unique in that we have three formats now, and that can be used to attract new fans. If we need to revisit the FTP, we will do that."

"If well managed, I think all three forms of the game are sustainable. It's just about finding the right balance."

Lorgat was also supportive of an umpiring referral system which will be trialled out later this year in the Champions trophy in Pakistan. He opined that "it makes sense to use new technologies."

"It is important to assist the umpires, not replace them," he said. "They have an incredibly difficult and important job, and they should be offered help wherever possible. I do not know yet all the factors that have been considered by the ICC, but would suspect that, where it makes sense, technology should be used to help the umpires."

He was keen to keep Zimbabwe in the test fraternity and was optimistic about their future despite the ICC finding "serious financial irregularites" in an auditory report conducted by the KPMG.

"I am an eternal optimist, and perhaps my timing isn't bad in terms of the political situation in Zimbabwe," he said. "I think the game needs to strengthen vertically, rather than horizontally, and a part of that will be to strengthen Zimbabwe."

"It has been quite good of Cricket South Africa to admit them into the domestic competition, and in just this last season they have defeated my team, the Cape Cobras. I am quietly confident they can again be competitive internationally."

Lorgat thought that with the spate of recent retirements, Australia might not be the same force they were a few years back. "I have always believed that these things go in cycles, and the Australians have certainly been dominating in recent years," he said. "They have had certain key players involved in that success, and when you lose players like [Shane] Warne, [Glenn] McGrath and [Adam] Gilchrist, that opens the way for other teams to catch up and perhaps the end of their cycle of domination. That can keep interest in the game."